Lipstick -Clinique - Chubby Stick - Super Strawberry
soleil_kitty 2/13/2012 4:51:00 AM
I got myself one of these chubby sticks after reading all the raving reviews online. Now, it looks lovely, very natural and never over-the-top but it's not as moisturizing as people say it is. Not in my book, anyway. I do need to apply an additionial moisturizer (usually Kiehl's) during very cold days outside. For the summer months the chubby sticks might be enough, however. I do like the product but not enough to repurchase. I didn't find the holy grail like so many others did. I have a lot of cheaper lip treatments that serve the purpose just as fine. Also, it's coming off rather quickly if you drink a lot of water & coffee throughout the day like I do so it constantly needs to be re-applied. Overall conclusion: Don't believe the hype.
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Treatments -The Body Shop - Rainforest Radiance Hair Butter
soleil_kitty 2/13/2012 4:50:00 AM
I got myself a sample size of this hair butter on a whim while I was madly shopping for the Chocomania products at The Body Shop. I usually do fine without a hair mask but an unusually cold and long winter took its toll on my dyed and BSL-hair. The hair butter is exactly what the name says: its texture is surprisingly firm, although still smooth. But it's absolutely nothing like your average drug store hair mask. It goes on easily and can be worked into the wet hair without problems. Instructions say to leave it in for about five minutes, then foam it up with a little water. Now I can't make this work. No matter how much or how little water I use, there's no foam. Dunno if this would make a difference, anyway. Afterwards rinse thoroughly. I can't say much about my hair shining more than it usually does but it sure feels nourished & supple and a little bit as if I had treated it with oil instead of a hair mask. I really like the feeling. It's a pretty good hair mask for me, however, I do have rather uncomplicated hair. Although I'm dying it every four to six weeks and blow-dry it after washing, it's very healthy. For people who are less lucky, this is probably not the right treatment. Like I mentioned above, The Body Shop offers sample sizes, which is great for a trial. I do think about buying again. I'm happy with the outcome, I do like the smell (very fruity!), it's sans silicones & parabens and my hair seems to like it just fine.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Copperplate
soleil_kitty 9/20/2011 8:21:00 AM
This in combination with MAC's "Seedy Pearl" is my new holy grail eyeshadow. Copperplate is the most universal flattering, cool, taupe-ish brown I ever came across. My blue-green eyes never looked so appealing, bright & great. Copperplate, where were you all my life? The texture is divine: soft, perfectly pigmented & matte. Application and blending is a no-brainer and virtually happens on its own. Seriously: If you have had no MAC eyeshadow before, start with this! Will keep buying & buying.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Kiko Cosmetics - Highly Pigmented Eye Shadow
soleil_kitty 9/7/2011 4:54:00 AM
Woah, I'm love! I found a KIKO store yesterday in my "usual" shopping-mall: brand new and open! I just went to have a look but when I saw the prices I decided to also try something out. Hence, I got a 'normal' eyeshadow in "125" and a colour sphere e/s in "32" as well. The former is about 4,90 €, the latter comes at 5,90 € so both of them were quite cheap. The quality you get for this little money is amazing, to say the least. #125 is a deep brown-grey with a heavenly satin finish. It's unlike any other colour I have in my stash and there are a lot of neutrals, believe me. MAC's "Shale" comes close but is a little more on the purple side. The Kiko e/s is perfect for a cold, but neutral smokey-eye. The lasting power (on a base!) is great, too, and it makes my blue-green eyes pop. The #32 is a baked mineral e/s with a lot of coarse glitter in the pan. Once applied, however, the glitter is not that obvious anymore. Colourwise it's pretty close to the other e/s although without the grey tint, so it's a dark chocolate brown, perfect for blue eyes. Both e/s apply evenly and can be easily blended out. They're amazingly pigmented and yes, I daresay you get MAC quality for only a third of the price. They're THAT good. Even the packaging is quite similar to MAC's, although the pans are so much bigger. But the plastic pan and the black cardboard around it? Totally reminded me of MAC. I do realize KIKO is difficult to come by but if you find a story somewhere, get some of this stuff. You won't regret it. I'm a new fan!
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Blush -BeneFit Cosmetics - Sugarbomb
soleil_kitty 8/29/2011 5:30:00 AM
About the facts: I'm NC15 with dark brown hair and blue-green eyes, hence, what one would call a 'winter type'. Winter types are supposed to wear cold or neutral colours so I guess, Sugarbomb doesn't quite fit in there. I've been wanting to have it for about a year now, nonetheless. Sugarbomb reminds me of a phenomenon in the theory of colours that my teacher used to tell us about: As soon as you use more than three colours swirled together, you'll get brown as a result. And indeed in the mirror (in artificial light!) Sugarbomb looks almost like a bronzer on me. I like it, don't get me wrong, because it looks absolutely natural and not in the least bit dirty like all other bronzers ultimately do. It's more like added contour. In daylight, however, it looks rosy/pink-ish and brings forth a beautiful, subtle glow. And still, it looks very natural. It makes me wonder how people with darker skin than mine, would ever make this work. It is well pigmented but still very light and even I have to apply several layers (3 or 4) to make it show. I totally adore the outcome - makes me look healthy and gives me an elven complexion without ever being obvious. BUT: I'm honest here, I think this could be achieved with other, less pricier products, too. I'm thinking about a baked blush by the Body Shop I have in my stash. So Sugarbomb was a purchase driven purely by lust and I don't regret spending the money but I don't really think I will buy again. I do understand the hype around it, though.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Labello - Pomegranate
soleil_kitty 7/28/2011 3:49:00 AM
Got it yesterday on a whim and already I love it so much that I want four or five more: One for every handbag. The tint is pretty obvious, glossy. A dark, full, fruity red with a bit of shimmer. Seriously, it looks like gloss without being one and without the sticky feeling, too. A definite "my lips but oh-so-much better" product. The scent is pleasant, too. Very soft & sweet but not overwhelming. The taste reminds me a little of cucumber, can't help it. I'm glad I found this as I was thinking about spending 18 bucks on a Clinique Chubby Stick. But why would I if I can have this? It's moisturizing, leaves a perfect finish (obvious colour AND shine) and has a lovely scent. HG lipbalm, hands down. And god knows, I will buy again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Nude Hydrating Makeup SPF 10 [DISCONTINUED]
soleil_kitty 6/30/2011 8:01:00 AM
Unfortunately this turned out to be a huge disappointment and I'm not using it anymore. I got this in the lightest available shade after reading all these raving reviews online. For my sensitive NC15 skin it turned out to be a perfect match. Applied, it left a dewy, very natural finish. I totally loved it. However, it did nothing regarding my very oily T-zone. By midday the make-up would just start to slowly dissolve. But that was not the worst things of all: It broke me out really, really badly. My skin looked the worst since my teens and that was quite some time ago. It was horrible. I turned to dermatological make-up afterwards which was the best decision ever, as it helped get my skin back on track. I really wanted to love this. I'm usually very fond of Dior's make-up stuff, like lipsticks, eyeshadows & palettes, etc. But this just got messy, literally. Naturally, I won't buy again. So sorry!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -BeneFit Cosmetics - Velvet Eyeshadow Where There's Smoke
soleil_kitty 5/26/2011 3:40:00 AM
Hm, difficult. I admit, I'm disappointed. First, I read so many raving reviews about this and second, in the pan it looks like the most gorgeous taupe there probably ever was. It's divine!! But after applying it, it appears green on my lids, especially in artificial light. I wish I knew why but once applied it resembles MAC's Green Smoke. There is no silver or brown shimmer to it anymore. Mysterious, absolutely. It sure has all the traits of a good eyeshadow: well pigmented, easy to apply & blend. But in my eyes it's not colourfast and that is always a huge let-down. I expected so much and now I find myself with a Green Smoke dupe. In sunlight, the green is toned down a bit in favor of a golden/brown sheen but still, it's not quite what I expected. I wanted to colour to show up on my lids as it looks in the pan and it doesn't. I don't even know how to rate it. It's quite unique, surely, and the quality is doubtlessly worth the money. It makes my blue-green eyes POP (yes, capital letters!) and is great for a cold smokey eye (I'm NC15, very pale) but I didn't fall in love immediately as I had hoped. So it's gonna be three lippies for now. Maybe I'll change my mind over the course of time, who knows? For now, the disappointment is just too prominent :(
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -BeneFit Cosmetics - Ultrashines Lipgloss in Patootie
soleil_kitty 5/24/2011 8:16:00 AM
Patootie is one of the nude lipglosses that were released by Benefit just recently. I didn't even know they existed and stumbled across them by accident about three weeks ago. I got Patootie after finishing both my MAC "Icescape" lipglass and its backup, too. That's what I dislike about LE's. When it's gone it's gone. As for Patootie: I didn't try it on, just bought it because I liked the colour when I was at the counter. It looked like a close enough dupe and it turns out to be a close enough dupe. It's a very light, pearly pink without the duochrome shimmer, however. It's perfect for a nude lip make-up and just overall pleasing & flattering. Texture is quite thin & non-sticky. The lasting power is mediocre but the feeling of it is nice. Very moisturizing. I also like the scent which reminds me of the bubble gum I used to have as a child. Yummy. I'm also totally in love with the flask. It's really sturdy & massive and the black print doesn't come off, even though I carry it around in my purse all the time. I know that's probably unessecary to mention but I'm a sucker for packaging and I really dislike the fact that the MAC print comes off when I carry their lipglasses around with me. Major difference: MAC has a little sponge applicator, Benefit has a brush. I like both. 5ml retail for 19 € and to me, it's worth every cent. I've been using this gloss exclusively ever since I got it and it doesn't look like I used it at all, so I guess I will have this quite a while. So far, best Benefit product I have tried. Will repurchase!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -Avene - Couvrance translucent mosaic powder
soleil_kitty 4/14/2011 4:39:00 AM
I'm in love!!! Alright, first things first. I bought this powder for the hotter summer days because I hate wearing make-up of any kind when days get warmer. Even the regular powder make-up (e.g. Clinique Almost Make-up) tends to glide off of my skin on hot and humid days. So I make do with Guerlain Meteorites & the like. Just something that won't get visible in the ugliest way when I'm sweating. Which is why I like powders that provide just enough coverage to even out my skin tone and mattify my complexion. And this is just it, I believe. After reading enough online raves about this to justify spending 16-something-euros, I got myself a compact. The description "translucent" is a little misleading, I daresay. I'm NC15 at MAC and the powder is a perfect fit and not at all translucent. There is a soft but absolutely obvious wash of colour and enough coverage to even out minor imperfections and give the skin this overall airbrushed look. Pores do appear minimized, although not completely gone. I agree with a previous reviewer who said this needs concealer underneath. Only I tend to apply the concealer afterwards. With a tiny pointy brush I dab a little of the above mentioned Clinique Almost make-up onto the specific areas that need a little more coverage and the result is pretty flattering. Since this mosaic powder doesn't look at all like powder once applied (no chalkiness AT ALL!), it looks like the most natural finish one can imagine. It's this "my skin but better" result that we all strive for. Oil control is average, so it's either touch-ups throughout the day or oil removing papers but that's nothing that upsets me. I have a very oily t-zone to begin with, so no whining here. I'm absolutely happy with this and I'm sure I found the powder to get me through the summer without looking like a total mess in the evenings. Glad I purchased and I gladly will again! Update on June, 27th: I've hit pan! And what I can say is this: it keeps oil at bay like no other powder I have ever tried, it gave me beautiful skin (haven't had a serious breakout ever since I started to use this) so I can even have no make-up days again meanwhile, it doesn't come off on hot & humid days - in other news: found my HG in the most unlikely place and with the most unlikely brand. I gave up on all my other fluid foundations & powders. Huzzah! :D
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Clarins - Blush Prodige 01 "Lovely Rose"
soleil_kitty 3/11/2011 4:23:00 AM
This is the, uh, twentieth addition to my blush collection, I guess? I wasn't meant to spend more money on blushes but I do make an exception every once in a while when I find a colour that is so rare & unique that I simply have to have it. "Lovely Rose" is this blush simply because it's the lightest blush I have ever seen. It's so fair that even I have difficulties making it show up on my NC15 skin. The blush itself comes in a golden, quite heavy and quite large case, complete with a little brush (which I don't use). You look at that case and immediately know why you just spent 32,95€ for this baby. The blush itself is divided into two shimmering and two matte segments, the latter being the bigger ones, however. That way you can add colour & contour to the face as well as highlights on the apples of the cheeks or below the brow bone. Now, as mentioned above, this blush is very light. It is well pigmented, don't get me wrong, but just so very light. I cannot imagine for the life of me that anyone with a darker skin than mine can work this blush. I have to put on about four to five layers to make it show and even then it's what an optimist would call "very natural" and a pessimist would call "barely there". But the reason why I still love it is the fact that this is the elven blush to my elven complexion. It adds glow(!!), the most subtle wash of colour imaginable and it just enhances my very pale skin in the most flattering way. Am I just so very happy I got it? You bet. Would I buy it again? Absolutely. Do I think it is worth every cent? Yes! Photos of my new gem uploaded above.
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Kiehls - Cucumber Herbal Toner
soleil_kitty 2/9/2011 5:32:00 AM
I have to agree with many other users here that it bloody stings! If it didn't say on the label that it does not contain alcohol, I would absolutely believe it did. Also, my skin turned really dry. I do use a heavily mattifying facial cream because I have sensitive but very oily skin and occasional blemishes and in this combination, meaning toner AND cream, my skin got really, really dry. It's nothing a good moisturizing mask couldn't cure but yeah - I'm not happy. The toner did help to make my skin look really clear and radiant. It's definitely beautiful to look at but it doesn't feel that way. So what can I say? It's expensive, the skin doesn't feel all that great after using it but it's working. Still though, I will use up this bottle but won't buy again. My skin is just way too sensitive for that.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Lierac - dioptigel
soleil_kitty 2/9/2011 5:31:00 AM
Depending on how much sleep I get, I do have puffy eyes in the morning and ugly bags underneath. I have read a lot of positive stuff about this cream and decided to try it. As far as puffiness and bags are concerned - it works wonders, it really does. The bags are almost gone and my eye area looks really fresh and "awake". BUT this cream is not moisturizing at all. About ten minutes after applying it, the skin around my eyes feels impossibly taut and dry. It's hell, really :o( I try to remedy that by applying some other eye cream afterwards, Clinique or Vichy, whatever comes in handy, as long as it's moisturizing. But I wonder if it has to be that way regarding the price of this little tube. It's really sad. I'll give this three lippies for actually delivering what it promises and have to take off two for side effects & price. I decided to not buy this again and try Lierac's "Diopticalm" instead. Maybe that one's better for me.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -Lierac - Gentle Toning Lotion
soleil_kitty 2/9/2011 5:30:00 AM
I'm torn here. I used up an entire bottle (pink with a pumping device) and it was okay but not oustanding (like the other Lierac products I tried). My skin didn't sting but it was also not as moisturizing as I had hoped for. This toner is meant for dry and/or sensitive skin, afterall. Also, I'm fairly sure it contained ingredients that left some sort of residue that didn't go along with my Lierac cream. The latter started to clot and peel off after I applied it. It's a little hard to describe but the fact remains that toner and cream didn't go well with each other. Since the cream is of utmost importance to me, I decided to try another toner (Kiehl's cucumber) instead and these two work well together. So there. Also, the packaging is quite the failure if you decide to bring this along on your travels. Something around the pumping device is leaky and toner spills everywhere. Very messy. I decided to give this only two lippies. It's not a total loser but absolutely not worth the money, as sad as that is. Won't buy again.
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Moisturizers -Lierac - MAT-CHRONO CREME REGENERANTE
soleil_kitty 12/7/2010 8:09:00 AM
Alright, I think it's time to write something about this little miracle in a pot. The facts are these: I (almost 31 years old) have very sensitive skin with a really oily t-zone and I tend to get blemishes for the most ridiculous reasons, such as too much emotional stress or too much sugar. It hasn't always been that way OR as bad. It seems to get worse with age. So while I need to treat my skin carefully, I also want to keep oil & blemishes at bay. After I stopped using the Artistry Essentials skin care series (I just hate online shopping), I've been looking everywhere for a proper replacement and feel like I finally found it. The goal was pretty high: I wanted skin that looked & felt beautiful without any added make-up. I don't really remember why I looked at the Lierac products but when I read about the MAT CHRONO night cream, I thought I'd give it a try. The cream is supposed to be used over night, is meant to keep the skin matte and help it look healthy, clean & glowing in the morning. After using this cream for almost two weeks now I can say, it does exactly that! The pot is a bright, light green and the cream itself also has a clear green tint, which might help to even out redness. It's pretty obvious, however, that the skin really looks 'calmer' and more even after about ten minutes after applying. It also stays matte - no visible trace of nocturnal oil excess in the morning! The feeling this cream leaves behind is totally unnatural and a little creepy - no skin would ever feel so soft without sheer masses of silicones and yes, this cream contains silicones AND (gasp!) mineral oil, although very far down the list. Now, I usually don't use skin care containing paraffinum EVER but here's the one exception and I'm glad I made it. I didn't think a cream could help me on my way to flawless skin like that and yet here I am raving about it. The effects are far-reaching, by the way. Even during the day my skin doesn't get oily anymore (I use an oilfree moisturizer with SPF) and the way my make-up glides on is incredible. Thanks to my already even skin tone I need less, naturally, but the bit I do pat on melts into my skin more perfectly and stays put all day. It's just incredible - better than ever before. There really is a truth to the make-up artist's creed that make-up can only be as good as the skin beneath it. Anyway, perfectly happy here! It's a lot of money (about 30 € for 40 ml) but worth every frickin' cent and I'll gladly pay that again. INCI: WATER (AQUA). ETHYLHEXYL ETHYLHEXANOATE. MEDICAGO SATIVA (ALFALFA) EXTRACT. CYCLOPENTASILOXANE. ARACHIDYL ALCOHOL. BEHENYL ALCOHOL. ARACHIDYL GLUCOSIDE. GLYCERIN. NEOPENTYL GLYCOL DIHEPTANOATE. DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER. DIMETHICONE. ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE. NYLON 12. HYDROLYZED RICE PROTEIN. HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN. CARBOMER. SODIUM STEARATE. SODIUM CHLORIDE. ZINC GLUCONATE. BUTYLENE GLYCOL. POLYPROPYLENE. SALICYLIC ACID. PEG-10 RAPESEED STEROL. ACRYLATES/C 10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER. TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891). LAURETH-7. POLYACRYLAMIDE. C 13-14 ISOPARAFFIN. XANTHAN GUM. RETINYL PALMITATE. MAGNESIUM ASCORBYL PHOSPHATE. TOCOPHEROL. TROMETHAMINE. FRAGRANCE (PARFUM). PHENOXYETHANOL. METHYLPARABEN. ETHYLPARABEN. BUTYLPARABEN. PROPYLPARABEN. ISOBUTYLPARABEN. YELLOW 5 (CI 19140). GREEN 5 (CI 61570)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No